You might like to start out by experimenting with fragrance oils. These
oils are very easy for beginners to use, and we have lots of formulas to
get you started. Fragrance oils are blends of various materials, both
synthetic and natural, that are diluted in a carrier so that they are
easier to work with. The fragrance oils we offer are not meant to be
worn directly on the skin; they are meant to be used as ingredients in
composing a blend.
Many people prefer creating perfumes out of natural essential oils and
absolutes . These can be a little trickier, because many natural
components in their pure form are quite strong smelling. To evaluate
their true scent, ie. their aroma in a perfume composition, you would
need to dilute them, often to a 1% dilution. When you get to know their
true character, then you can blend with them in their natural state with
more confidence.
Some students then move to the world of professional aromachemicals.
Aromachemicals are the molecules that are the "building blocks" of
scent. For example, natural rose oil is composed of molecules such as
geraniol and phenylethyl alcohol. Many of these molecules can be
isolated from the complete oil by natural means such as fractional
distillation
These aromachemicals are very challenging, in that many of them have
effects on a perfume composition that are not obvious when evaluating
them seperately. These are components that appear in the most valued
classic perfumes, as well as popular modern fragrances. There are
various ways to study these components. One way is to learn how they act
in a sample formula, see what they bring to the whole.
For the serious student, I have provided links for Olfactory Training as
well as information on perfume families, along with many sample
formulas for various accords and blends.

Please remember that perfumery is an art, as well as a science. There is
so much to learn, and it is a truly fascinating journey!

safety:
It is important to realize that both aromachemicals and natural essential oils and absolutes can possibly be irritating to the skin and toxic to certain degrees, and they should all be treated with care and respect. Gloves and protective eyewear should be worn, and great care taken to keep the work area clean. Disposal of components should be made in accordance with local regulations, as just flushing them down the drain could lead to pollution of water systems.